David Chang

Chef, futurist, 31 · New York

At his three Momofuku restaurants in New York, Chang transforms known flavors--lots of pork, lots of pickles--into a new kind of American comfort cuisine that somehow seems strange and familiar at the same time. His food exploits our reference points and creates new ones. It repackages flavors we already understand and gives us a new understanding of their possibilities. And it is satisfying in ways that are unprecedented. Here, thoughts on Chang, by the legendary Alice Waters, owner of Berkeley's Chez Panisse:

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The alternative-food network--people growing extraordinary fruits and vegetables in every part of this country--is multi-plying geometrically. While it's one thing to use these ingredients, it's another when someone really cooks. David knows where the taste is. People used to think that without tomatoes for hamburgers in the winter, you can't cook this way. But now they're into canning tomatoes so you can have them all year, wild mushrooms that can be dried to make soups, and greenhousing--it's endless. David is a champion of this because he believes in farmers. I would love for teenagers to get into it. He's very interested in schools. I want him to set up a whole school cafeteria--we could do something amazing, teaching kids how to run it and making affordable, delicious, wholesome food. David's great skill is to teach people. He has to understand all the ways he can connect. I just hope I can keep him from opening restaurants in Dubai and Las Vegas.